Last-minute shopping frenzy leaves Kigali in human jam

Christmas comes and goes, but the funfare, brouhaha and extravaganza remain lively.And Christmas Eve yesterday wasn’t any different, for, by around 3pm in Kigali city, especially in the Central Business District, most premises were decorated than ordinary days. Artificial Christmas trees, ornaments and other decorations bedecked buildings and some streetside trees. Like it is wont to happen on such heightened days of activity, traffic jam took its toll on the city as many people made their last-minute shopping and hawkers peddled merchandise with aggressive marketing strategies. Business operators who spoke to The New Times said Christmas period is a time they look forward to as sales always go up on different items, ranging from groceries to Christmas trees. Women flood a jewellery shop in Kigali City Market yesterday. Jean Luc Sibomana, who was selling Christmas ornaments for children, said: “I started selling these items from Monday. On the first day I used Rwf10,000 to purchase and gained Rwf24,000, the following day I earned Rwf35,000 from a Rwf10,000 investment,” Sibomana said. “Yesterday I made more than Rwf40,000; I hope I will get more profits as prices are increasing with more people making last-minute shopping,” he said. Although she could not tell off-head how much she had made, Virginie Kalisa’s shop, which sells bracelets in Kigali City Market, was filled with women and girls all haggling for assorted items. Quartier Matheus street was crowded with people, and Jean Baptiste Tugirimana took advantage of this to cash in on his plastic Christmas trees. “I only started selling these trees today but have so far sold four. Some I purchased at Rwf8,000 and sold them for Rwf12,000, others at Rwf6,000 and sold them at Rwf10,000,” he said. Kigali city was busy Christmas shoppers on the eve of Christmas. (Photos by Doreen Umutesi) Around Inkurunziza Church in the city centre, Christians were attending a special Mass in preparation for Christmas; outside was a young boy who was peddling Bibles but said he had not sold any all day. “How much is this red Bible?” a client asked Clement Habarugira. On being told Rwf6,000, he turned away. The Bible, according to the seller, cost Rwf4,000 last year but the price has since gone up. “Last year, I sold many Bibles from this very spot, but today I have not yet sold even one. I am not sure if it is because of the prices or few ‘real’ Christians,” he said. Habarugira said if the day ended without selling, he would not enjoy his Christmas. “I wish I had purchased other items for sale because this does not look good at all,” he lamented. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

Last-minute shopping frenzy leaves Kigali in human jam